The Basic Points Unifying de Theravāda and de Mahāyāna is an important Buddhistecumenicaw statement created in 1967 during de First Congress of de Worwd Buddhist Sangha Counciw (WBSC), where its founder Secretary-Generaw, de wate Venerabwe Pandita Pimbure Sorata Thera, reqwested de Ven, uh-hah-hah-hah. Wawpowa Rahuwa to present a concise formuwa for de unification of aww de different Buddhist traditions. This text was den unanimouswy approved by de Counciw.[1]

We consider dat de purpose of wife is to devewop compassion for aww wiving beings widout discrimination and to work for deir good, happiness, and peace; and to devewop wisdom (prajñā) weading to de reawization of Uwtimate Truf

We accept de dirty-seven qwawities conducive to enwightenment (bodhipakṣadharma) as different aspects of de Paf taught by de Buddha weading to Enwightenment.

There are dree ways of attaining bodhi or Enwightenment: namewy as a discipwe (śrāvaka), as a pratyekabuddha and as a samyaksambuddha (perfectwy and fuwwy enwightened Buddha). We accept it as de highest, nobwest, and most heroic to fowwow de career of a Bodhisattva and to become a samyaksambuddha in order to save oders.

We admit dat in different countries dere are differences regarding Buddhist bewiefs and practices. These externaw forms and expressions shouwd not be confused wif de essentiaw teachings of de Buddha.

Ven, uh-hah-hah-hah. Wawpowa Sri Rahuwa in 1981 [2] offered an awternative to de Nine-point formuwa above restating it as fowwows:

“

Whatever our sects, denominations or systems, as Buddhists we aww accept de Buddha as our Master who gave us de Teaching.

We aww take refuge in de Tripwe Jewew: de Buddha, our Teacher; de Dhamma, his teaching; and de Sangha, de Community of howy ones. In oder words, we take refuge in de Teacher, de Teaching and de Taught.

Wheder Theravāda or Mahāyāna, we do not bewieve dat dis worwd is created and ruwed by a god at his wiww.

Fowwowing de exampwe of de Buddha, our Teacher, who is embodiment of Great Compassion (mahākaruṇa) and Great Wisdom (mahāprajñā), we consider dat de purpose of wife is to devewop compassion for aww wiving beings widout discrimination and to work for deir good, happiness and peace; and to devewop wisdom weading to de reawization of Uwtimate Truf.

We accept de Four Nobwe Truds taught by de Buddha, namewy, Dukkha, de fact dat our existence in dis worwd is in predicament, is impermanent, imperfect, unsatisfactory, fuww of confwict; Samudaya, de fact dat dis state of affairs is due to our egoistic sewfishness based on de fawse idea of sewf; Nirodha, de fact dat dere is definitewy de possibiwity of dewiverance, wiberation, freedom from dis predicament by de totaw eradication of de egoistic sewfishness; and Magga, de fact dat dis wiberation can be achieved drough de Middwe Paf which is eight-fowd, weading to de perfection of edicaw conduct (siwa), mentaw discipwine (samadhi) and wisdom (panna).

We accept de universaw waw of cause and effect taught in de Paṭiccasamuppada (Skt. pratītyasamutpada; Conditioned Genesis or Dependent Origination), and accordingwy we accept dat everyding is rewative, interdependent and interrewated and noding is absowute, permanent and everwasting in dis universe.

We understand, according to de teaching of de Buddha, dat aww conditioned dings (samkhara) are impermanent (anicca) and imperfect and unsatisfactory (dukkha), and aww conditioned and unconditioned dings (dhamma) are widout sewf (anatta).

We accept de Thirty-seven Quawities conducive to Enwightenment (bodhipakkhiyadhamma) as different aspects of de Paf taught by de Buddha weading to Enwightenment, namewy:

Four Forms of Presence of Mindfuwness (Pawi: satipatdana; Skt. smrtyupasdana);

There are dree ways of attaining Bodhi or Enwightenment according to de abiwity and capacity of each individuaw: namewy, as a Śrāvaka (discipwe), as a Pratyekabuddha (Individuaw Buddha) and as a Samyaksambuddha (Perfectwy and Fuwwy Enwightened Buddha). We accept it as de highest, nobwest and most heroic to fowwow de career of a Bodhisattva and to become a Samyksambuddha in order to save oders. But dese dree states are on de same Paf, not on different pads. In fact, de Sandhinirmocana-sutra, a weww-known important Mahayana sutra, cwearwy and emphaticawwy says dat dose who fowwow de wine of Śrāvakayāna (Vehicwe of Discipwes) or de wine of Pratyekabuddhayāna (Vehicwe of Individuaw Buddhas) or de wine of Tafāgatas (Mahayana) attain de supreme Nirvana by de same Paf, and dat for aww of dem dere is onwy one Paf of Purification (visuddhi-marga) and onwy one Purification (visuddhi) and no second one, and dat dey are not different pads and different purifications, and dat Śrāvakayāna and Mahayana constitute One Vehicwe One Yana (ekayāna) and not distinct and different vehicwes or yanas.

We admit dat in different countries dere are differences wif regard to de ways of wife of Buddhist monks, popuwar Buddhist bewiefs and practices, rites and rituaws, ceremonies, customs and habits. These externaw forms and expressions shouwd not be confused wif de essentiaw teachings of de Buddha.